Buswell launches 4am weekend trains

Transport Minister Troy Buswell has announced the launch of a free 4:00am weekend train service for six months from November.

Mr Buswell said the trial was in response to a Facebook campaign kicked off in April by Perth residents Seb Brodie and Scott Brosens.

"It's important that the Government utilise our resources in the best way possible to provide services that people want, and it was put to me that thousands of West Australians want later train services on the weekend," Mr Buswell said.

"As a result, Transperth will trial a 4am train on Saturday and Sunday mornings from November until April on all train lines, when we'll evaluate its success and make a decision on future services."

Mr Buswell said the current latest train service at 2.15am would run at 2am when the 4am service was introduced.

"Currently the 2.15am trains are free of charge, and during the trial both the 2am and 4am services will be free."

Opposition spokesperson for Transport Ken Travers said an additional train on each line at 4am on Saturday and Sunday mornings did not go far enough.

"While a 4am train is a good start, the trial should include a train every hour to determine which times are most popular," he said.

"Putting on a single additional train at 4am will not solve the problem of people being stranded in the city and in Northbridge in the early hours of the morning.

"While I welcome this as a first step, the trial should have trains running every hour through the night to see which ones are most popular and which times were most valid to make permanent."

Mr Travers said the 4am train would not help people working at clubs and pubs.

"Those people working until 5 or 6am will still have to wait until 7.30am on a Sunday for the first train from the city," he said.

"When it comes to public transport the Liberals always do things in half measures," he said.

"All we get is the bare minimum."

Mr Travers also raised concerns over security on the early morning trains.